Life's a Stitch

It's hard to believe we are now onto our second month on the Camino. If years ago, anyone had told me I'd be hiking for an entire month, I would never have believed it.

Day 31 turned out to be the best day yet in terms of beauty and experience. We started by climbing to the pass near the top of Mount Irago.

On the way we heard the noise of 65 sheep and their two shepherds, two teachers and their huge flock of 14-15 year old students. Other pilgrims were attempting to out hike them so as not to be disturbed by all those kids, but it was touching to be bid Buen Camino by so many of them. I heard the teacher explain the tradition to the rest of the students. I had wondered how people are taught about the hundreds of thousands of people who invade their country yearly.

We arrived at the Cruce de Ferro, a solemn place where pilgrims place a rock or other item they have carried from home at the base of the cross, symbolizing a burden to be left behind. It was a place stacked with grief similar to the temple at Burning Man.

My rock:

I was particularly moved by a picture of a young man whose middle name was given for St. Patrick, as he was born on March 17th, but died before his 20th birthday. All the hopes and dreams of friends and family for that young person swallowed up in grief and carried to the Cruz de Ferro.

It was a day of ups and downs and pastoral beauty.

Paradoxically, while walking on the ridge of a mountain we could see wind farms on one side and a nuclear power plant on the other.

A group of us had a laugh when C mooed at a cow and the cow clearly mooed back.

Can't you hear the moo coming from that cow's mouth?

After 18k we arrived in Aceibo. We're staying at a vegetarian casa rural ironically called La Trucha (the Trout). They advertise it as the house of Feng Shui. The food was delicious, the hosts gracious, but we'll be skipping the lavender incense.

Tomorrow will be a longer day at 25k, taking us through the larger city of Ponferrada.